Across North America in Five Weeks!

[Solace in Solitude]

Daaang... Really... you don't have room for most of the stuff others are suggesting. If your Cruiser is solid you do not need a support vehicle full of stuff. leave the back folder seats at home, throw a couple of bean bags chairs in the back, get rid of those boat speakers. Keep it simple.. this isn't the Outback, South America or Africa, Keep your speed down to Land Cruiser mode, Run Synthetic oil if your engine is tight ( you will make the extra miles if it's running hot.) Burger King, Walmart etc for basic needs and HAVE FUN! HOWEVER, I'm not sure you wanna cross the Canadian or NYC borders packing firearms. Maybe it can be done but you better be damn careful you do it properly. Yes a short legal shotgun would be handy if you accidently hit a muley or some other unfortunate creature that may wander in front of a Land Cruiser.

I suppose the first part of your post is directed at my list... Suffice it to say that I believe in self dependency/sufficiency, I travel to very remote areas of Nevada (look at some of my pictures, if you think much of Nevada isn't desolate) and I travel alone, with only my two dogs. I'm comfortable with what I carry.

I'm sure others wouldn't carry all the stuff I carry. They usually rely on the kindness of others, to allow them to use fire extinguishers (I left this off my list ... I carry two), Hi-Lift Jacks, Winches, water, food, spares, fluids and on and on.

I don't know anything about off road in Florida, but if you are comfortable driving alone, in remote, desolate places, with nothing but a stick of jerky and a bottle of water, enjoy!

 

[JohnnyC]

we used to wheel in remote places of vt ... If it broke you fixed it there

The only time we were ever 'stuck' was the time I snapped my rear pinion... Got my truck to a clearing not too far away... A buddy was wheeling his truck ... Got the parts and fixed it on the trail... With most guys I normally wheel with I know of three spare 3rds I could have borrowed

... You can never really have enough stuff when your in oblivion

If your never more that a 1/4 mile from civilization all you need is a cell phone and AAA

I am mostly between 1/4 and oblivion these days ... So I cut back on most things I carry

 

[DSRTRDR]

it's all a balance between preparation before and what happens ON the trail/trip

by far, I have broken and mangled more stuff on trails than on the road

and out of all the spares/stuff I carry, I have given away more to others than I've needed myself . . . but when I had the need, I was prepared

this was at the Golden Crack in Moab some 4 years ago

we sent the trail gunner on his way to heard the group off the trail (another 3 hours to go or so) - he was incredulous until I unpacked the prepacked axle shaft from the black trash bag

and yes, the orange MetalTech 80 there in the background was also brokeded - something about a steering box . . .

 

[Solace in Solitude]

we used to wheel in remote places of vt ... If it broke you fixed it there

The only time we were ever 'stuck' was the time I snapped my rear pinion... Got my truck to a clearing not too far away... A buddy was wheeling his truck ... Got the parts and fixed it on the trail... With most guys I normally wheel with I know of three spare 3rds I could have borrowed

... You can never really have enough stuff when your in oblivion

If your never more that a 1/4 mile from civilization all you need is a cell phone and AAA

I am mostly between 1/4 and oblivion these days ... So I cut back on most things I carry

Oh yeah, I forgot... I also carry a backpack, packed with everything me and daBoise need to hike 20+ miles back to pavement... Just in case something breaks that I don't have spares for... I'd rather carry things I don't need than hike 20+ miles simply because I didn't carry something obvious... And I like to hike.

Anyway @hecrod , sorry for turning your trip into an off road adventure... But, you said something like, "list it and let me decide".

 

[DSRTRDR]

that said, in all my road trips in the 40, these were the failures:

bolt broke that held the hi-lift on the bracket off the spare tire carrier (symptoms: bad rattle and scrapings on the hi-lift, no serious consequences) - on the same trip, I broke a finger nail

spring that returns the throttle on the carburetor wore out - twice in consecutive years on the same stretch of highway (symptom: the truck revs high in neutral - consequence: can still drive, but will blow gas out the rear like no tomorrow) - one time I just bent the next turn of the spring into place; the other time I had a spare spring to install

fan clutch turned out not to be working - (symptoms: temp needle inching higher and higher some 20 miles out of town - if this happens to you: DO NOT CONTINUE TO DRIVE) - I had an electric pusher fan in front of the radiator back then, so opted to use that full-time instead, with careful monitoring - it worked for that trip since it wasn't the hottest time of the year, but I wouldn't advertise it

starter conked out on a hot start more recently (in a gas station, and then again at the emissions testing station ) - each time letting the truck cool down overcame the problem - (badly installed/rebuilt starter contacts were the cause)

and yeah, the windshield wipers failed to push significant amounts of snow that came down in a freak snowstorm in May on the Navajo Indian Reservation (symptoms: wiper arms turn but wipers twist to least resistance - consequence: you can't see s*** ) - 30 miles thereafter, the gas tank lid failed to stay with the truck when I took an animated turn out of the gas station to get away from the non-functioning pump (due to power failure in the snowstorm - in the hurry to get out of the cold, I had forgotten to put the lid back on )

and that was pretty much it in all of 10 years on the road - maybe some other more minor things related to things coming loose in the truck and starting rattles in the glovebox or somesuch . . . - and yeah, a branch once ripped off the passenger mirror, but that was on a tight trail . . .

now, on trails . . . let's just say there's a longer list

 

[Solace in Solitude]

that said, in all my road trips in the 40, these were the failures:

bolt broke that held the hi-lift on the bracket off the spare tire carrier (symptoms: bad rattle and scrapings on the hi-lift, no serious consequences) - on the same trip, I broke a finger nail

spring that returns the throttle on the carburetor wore out - twice in consecutive years on the same stretch of highway (symptom: the truck revs high in neutral - consequence: can still drive, but will blow gas out the rear like no tomorrow) - one time I just bent the next turn of the spring into place; the other time I had a spare spring to install

fan clutch turned out not to be working - (symptoms: temp needle inching higher and higher some 20 miles out of town - if this happens to you: DO NOT CONTINUE TO DRIVE) - I had an electric pusher fan in front of the radiator back then, so opted to use that full-time instead, with careful monitoring - it worked for that trip since it wasn't the hottest time of the year, but I wouldn't advertise it

starter conked out on a hot start more recently (in a gas station, and then again at the emissions testing station ) - each time letting the truck cool down overcame the problem - (badly installed/rebuilt starter contacts were the cause)

and yeah, the windshield wipers failed to push significant amounts of snow that came down in a freak snowstorm in May on the Navajo Indian Reservation (symptoms: wiper arms turn but wipers twist to least resistance - consequence: you can't see s*** ) - 30 miles thereafter, the gas tank lid failed to stay with the truck when I took an animated turn out of the gas station to get away from the non-functioning pump (due to power failure in the snowstorm - in the hurry to get out of the cold, I had forgotten to put the lid back on )

and that was pretty much it in all of 10 years on the road - maybe some other more minor things related to things coming loose in the truck and starting rattles in the glovebox or somesuch . . . - and yeah, a branch once ripped off the passenger mirror, but that was on a tight trail . . .

now, on trails . . . let's just say there's a longer list

My list is growing...

Re: I broke a finger nail , so, I need to also include a package of fake nails and some nail glue... check.

Re: can still drive, but will blow gas out the rear like no tomorrow , I've had that problem a number of times... on pavement and off road as well... but, it's generally due to something I ate or chewing sugarless gum.

 

[DSRTRDR]

 

[tmarx]

Awesome awesome trip - I am totally green with envy ! Enjoy every minute

 

[bikersmurf]

1) The simplest cruise is a stock manual throttle... I'm not sure if US spec trucks ever came with them, but all the Canadian spec ones have them. Steve @ EBI in (Greater) Vancouver could likely set you up with one.

2) Some form of electronic ignition... going into the interior of BC fried my points in one day... all be it 500+ miles. Points conversion or newer distributor will suffice. If you pull the distributor, make sure it's fully seated.

3) As I'm sure has been stated, water, food, blankets, highlift, tow rope, jumper cables, hand tools, etc.

 

[jim land]

nice trip, it is on my (to do) list

your 78 is already electronic ignition, factory seal and vented distibutor

 

[roma042987]

Sounds like a fun trip and im quiet jealous. I can only take a week off at a time or I'd be driving my 40 to Washington state as I type this. If you are considering carrying a firearm DO NOT do so going into Canada. It is a BIG NO NO. Fortunately I shipped mine home when I got to the town with the border crossing and im glad I did so because my cruiser along with all of my belongings were thoroughly searched. I was treated like a terrorist to be quiet honest and did not feel welcome at all. That was just at the border though in general everyone else was very friendly and helpful.

As far as things to take along...primarily I take enough tools to do anything short of an engine rebuild on the side of the road and enough fluids to change or top off anything I need to do so.

 

[FJam]

Carb tuning for changes in elevation, Rocky Mountains got me crawling at a snails pace

 

[handcannon]

Your trip plans sound great! So many others have chimed in with ideas of what to have along that I don't think I can add anything.

But, if you have time to add a few miles to your trip, Crater Lake is in the southern Oregon Cascade Mountains, approximately eight hours south of Seattle. Crater Lake is a beautiful National Park, with 30+ miles of rim drive, multiple overlooks, many places for hiking, at least a couple campgrounds and many others outside the park boundaries, a hike down hill to the water and a boat ride around the lake, the tourist trap Rim Village, and of course, high elevation, (7000 to 8000 ft around the Rim Drive and can get chilly at night even in summer time). I have seen some snow banks still there on July 4th.

Crater Lake National Park - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Enjoy your trip, and have a safe time.

Don

 

[Jrod]

Sounds like a great drive. The PNW is a beautiful place - Missoula to Couer d'alene is some of the best interstate driving you'll ever do. When in Seattle if you need help contact Torfab. Tor and Adam are great to work with and if they can't help there's a group of locals (Seattle cruiserheads) that will probably be happy to help.

Regarding your list:

Seats would be the biggest improvement. Comfort is subjective - don't forget the age of these vehicles. Have fun and be safe!

 

[kerplunk]

There's a pretty big difference between being off road in the Southwest vs. the route you've planned. As you get west, the population will thin out, but there will be fewer roads, leading to about the same amount of traffic (roads will be constrained by the passes through mountains to route them).

Even in Wyoming, there are 2-3 roads across the state and towns every hour or so, and many trucks on the roads.

But, you won't find a fuel pump if you need one. Consider there are a number of small, vital parts on these trucks that aren't going to be in stock just about anywhere, and the wait for delivery can be 2-3 days. Fluids would be available at any of these towns, they all have some kinda auto shop. But also consider a tarp in case you have to get under the truck when you don't really want to, much more comfortable than wet dirt or hot sand.

 

[SteveH]

I did a Colo-Michigan trip in my FJ40 in 1990. What I needed (and brought) was a timing light - ran into spark knock at lower elevations. Check all your axle vents before you go - long trips will build pressure if they are clogged, resulting in pinon seal leaks. I would bring a small thin pillow for your lower back, just to change the shape of the seat as you get tired. I nearly roasted in my FJ40 in the 105 degree heat of Nebraska. Plan on driving with the windows open (loud and tiring). You might line your floor (as you desire) with Reflectix or something similar.

You might also identify some sympathetic Mud folks along the way, in case you need a house where you can diagnose a problem, rather than doing all your repairs in the Walmart parking lot or at the side of the highway.

All this being said, you won't really 'relax' on this trip, but you will have fun.

 

[Weber Sarge]

Biggest thing needed for a trip like this - plenty of spare money .
Get searching and print the list of MUD members , highlight ones that live near your route - that may come in real handy as most mechanics and sources of help haven't a clue about working on Cruisers or parts .
Sarge

 

[eman375]

An additional travel suggestion on your selected route; Glacier National Park in Montana. From planning to execution, the trip sounds awesome. Have fun!

 

[hecrod]

A Small Interlude (on “Moving On”):


My grandmother passed away earlier this week. Granma Sen (pronounced Zen) was born on May 28th, 1928… yes, 1928, right before the Depression. Her Dad passed away in 1933, when she was just five. Can you imagine? What tough times must she have gone through early on! I heard of those, in the manner that those born in those days speak of it… you moved on. “Grapes of Wrath,” that sobering Henry Fonda movie comes to mind. You didn’t complain, you put one foot in front of the other and you moved on. Times were rough, but you moved on. They didn’t have everything they wanted, but they moved on.

She fell in love and married my grandfather at 17, with four kids to quickly follow by the time she was in her early 20’s. What tough times THOSE must have been! Yet she never complained, or at least I do not remember her ever complaining about her lot in life. She moved on. She raised two of her thirteen grandkids herself, and also a great grandkid, and she never complained, she moved on. She moved on through the death of my grandfather in 1999… all the way through December 7th, 2015.

What do I remember the most? The time she took care of me after I got bit in the butt by the neighborhood’s stray dog cheers… being only 6 or 7 at the time. I remember crying my eyes out when she left to live out of State for a few years back in ’78… and I remember how she suffered as she learned of my struggles in college early on.

Yet, why did I hesitate to go home and see her one last time earlier this week? Why was it hard to postpone meetings, to go to see her one more time? Why is it so easy to forget about the bigger things in life? To equate or confuse the “Urgent” with the “Important”?

Or is it just me? Some questions sometimes have no answer… or maybe we just don’t like the obvious answer…

You see, my grandmother started to forget things shortly after my grandfather passed away. It started with her just repeating herself, forgetting things, starting a pot of rice, right next to the one she had started half an hour before… She was diagnosed with Alzheimer’s Disease about 10-12 years ago. When I saw her last three years ago, the smile was there, her kind gaze was there… but she was not there. My Granma was gone. And I guess I moved on?

So I did cancel meetings, and delayed others, and went home to see her one more time. And I’m glad I did.

Granma Sen (with her and Grandpa on each side of me, circa 1975)… may you rest in peace.

On to the planned trip… wow! Awesome recommendations… Thank you all! Thanks for the PM’s as well… I know I haven’t answered all yet, but I will.

I have accepted all recommendations (with the exception of the two listed a little ways below) and will be tracking them over the next 4-5 months via excel spreadsheet (screenshot of it below... tried to attach the actual file but couldn't?).

So far, the main criteria in the spreadsheet are:

• Improvements
• Inspect / Replace
• Spares / Emergency,
• Other, and
• Camping / Hiking

Thanks Dagha Boy, Healey, SRTRDR, 1911, pngunme, roma042987, bikersmurf, kerplunk, Weber Sargefor the help and excellent general advice… And thanks to everyone else for the kudos / thumbs up…

This list is a work in progress, so additional recommendations are welcomed! The items with a question mark (e.g. replace alternator, fuel and water pumps, brake lines) mean that I will make up my mind regarding replacement after closer inspection. Same applies to the roof top tent, electric fan and storage drawers… I’m just not sure yet.


On the "Won't pursue for now list":

1. Irish11. The BMW 3-series seat ideas sounds cool… but I’d prefer to not change my seats. I guess I was just hoping for a possible contraption that would allow for the stock seats to recline back a little… they are a little too upright for my comfort… but they are generally comfortable and look great!
2. pngunme, tls3601 - The firearm recommendation is logical, but it’s a “no can do” based on the places I’m planning to visit. And frankly based on where I live too… many hurdles to jump.

Progress this week:

• Ordered Metal Tech’s rear bumper with three “fuel can” holders. I will use two for fuel and one for water. I should receive it within 4-6 weeks.
• Ordered the Tuffy console. I should have it before the end of the year.

As far as the places I’ll visit, the plan at a high level is to avoid large cities and highways as much as possible… it's a case of "been there done that." I am also aware that I am skipping a great number of awesome parks in the Southwest (handcannon, I did get to go to Crater Lake two years ago… just spectacular!) it’s just that I’ve been to most already… and I do need to get back to the Northeast at some point! J

I will go to Glacier NP, and Badlands, and Grand Tetons, and others. More on this part of the planning stage soon.

And powderjay, thanks for the “get together” offer… I’ll reach out to you as I get closer to “The Day”!

One more ask… I either buy a set of well-designed drawers to put in the back, to help organize things, and to put away those items that I am likely (hopefully) to not need, or get used to a mad scramble every time I need something from back there… any suggestions? I’ve been looking at ARB Outback Solutions… as a potential solution. Any others?

DSRTRDR, pngunme. I’m guessing you guys are probably fun to be around?

 

[1911]

Condolences on the loss of your Granma Sen, Hector. I lost my dad to Dementia a few months ago.